French rapper MHD gets 12 years in prison for youth’s murder

French rap star MHD poses for a picture after his performance at U Street Music Hall in Washington DC, n 2017.//AFP

Paris, France – French rapper MHD was sentenced Saturday to 12 years in prison for the 2018 murder of a young man in Paris who was rammed with a car before being set upon by a mob and stabbed.

Five of his fellow defendants were also jailed over the killing, receiving jail terms of between 10 and 18 years, over what prosecutors said was a fight between rival gangs. Three other men were acquitted.

The pioneer of afro-trap — a mix of hip-hop and African traditions — MHD rose to fame after becoming a viral sensation in 2015.

The 29-year-old, whose real name is Mohamed Sylla, was charged with homicide in January 2019 and imprisoned. He was released after a year and a half in custody as investigations continued, and released a new album.

As Saturday’s verdict…